-Fei’s POV-
What in the name of Seven Chaos is……?
That was the only thought I have at the moment. For the impossible have actually happened. The worse possibility that I thought to not let it happens happened. And it’s right in front of me. The cruel truth shook me back and forth. My mind could not endure the disappointment and rages over my current self which allowed this to happen.
Even without words, I knew her.
Even without pondering, I recognized her.
Even if the world died and reborn along with her, I could still believe it was her.
I could tell from her appearance. I could tell from the vivid, seemingly glowing golden hair which was parallel to the dawn’s majestic light. I could tell from the clear, brilliant eyes with the color of the purest emerald I have ever seen. I could tell because she possessed the uniqueness only she could have in this entire continent.
Memories I shared with her were recalled back. The moments I spent with her in the past all caught me off guard and took a hold of my body. Including the burst of emotions I have at her…… everything was liberated to the point where it hurts.
She is here. And she is real. The person who is in front of me, is undoubtedly—
“……….Char……lotte…?”
My voice wavered in the air. Once the word reached her ears, the girl in front of me trembled. She hid her expressions. Still, I could see her hands gripping the sword strongly. Tighter than before I blinked to ascertain the truth in front of me.
I wanted to raise a hand and approach her but—the girl vanished from the spot! My pupils widened in an instance. With specks of dust left behind, the girl vanished from the spot. And then I noticed a shadow appearing at the corner of my eyes.
“Wha—“
Grey and green gazed at each other. My view was filled with the face of the person I devoted to protect for eternity. She was right in front of me. Soundlessly, silently, and instantaneously.
How did she become so fast-!?
The girl quickly pivoted her heels, taking a firm stand on the grounds. She stretched her legs, then pulling her arms which were holding the sword to the back as if drawing a bow’s arrow to the limits.
“Wait—!!” I hollered a few moments later than I should have. The chills of Death enraptured me and I could foresee my demise as the girl uttered a phrase as if chanting.
“EX—“
The sword shone. I doubted if it truly shone as wood and metal were not materials which worked well when infused with low-grade enchantment spells. Though there existed special means and exclusion to my belief, I certainly caught the wooden sword’s blade unleashing brilliant light.
Aura enhancement…!?
While I exasperated in shock over her sudden growth in skills and physical stature—
”CALIBUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRR!!”
Suddenly, my sense of balance disappeared. My vision darkened for an instant as I saw the blue of… the sky……? Next, my body struck something hard which felt like the palace’s walls. The walls were supposed to be as hard as adamantium ore…
And my body broke through them like a thrown rock shattering the windows.
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-A Certain Queen’s POV-
My name is Luna ‘Envy’ Sanctum Raumia.
At the beginning of spring, I enthroned myself as the Queen of this twisted kingdom my father once ruled with eccentric ambitions. I was both pleased and displeased for achieving the position impossible for someone like me to acquire. At one side, I had grown tired of living a life as a puppet. At the other side, I acquired myself the chance to overrule this vile place.
I was jealous of my other siblings who lived a life less like puppets. I was jealous of my older brother who had the freedom to choose. I was jealous of a person who disappeared from this kingdom all by himself in exchange of a mere commoner’s head.
Envy. Yes, I envied them. In my case, I envied everything the world has and the people who did not share the same fate as me. I have so many things I could have done and yet was unable to. All because I had been a doll the previous king created. All because I had been one of his pawns in a grand scheme which failed miserably the moment my eldest brother committed rebellion.
Honestly, men are such foolish creatures. Either getting drunk in power or becoming possessive to the point of being blinded by their worthless ideals… they have been and always will be a bunch of idiots women like me could never understand. Even though it’s because we are women that we could see through them.
“Huff… Not only that, we still have a problematic kid who likes to skip classes and hiding his face from public. This is getting more and more chaotic.” Rubbing my chin with the back of my hand, I heaved out a deep sigh behind the work desk I was in.
The place was right in the royal palace which housed the main branch of the ruler of Raumia, and it was also the place I lived in unlike before. High in the palace where I could see the whole kingdom and borders, the office for the king to actually work in was anything but shabby for my standard. Just take a look at the confidential documents and tax reports in the barrels over there!!
“Father was definitely a stupidly shameless man to actually mix in two different objects with different purposes in the same place. Well, he was a scum till the very end anyway. I wonder how mother could marry such a worthless man without values like him.”
“—your majesty, I believe complaining will get you anywhere.”
A sudden interruption entered my field of sight in the form of a woman at her early twenties. She wore the uniform for the female servants which consisted of black dress and long skirts, then a white apron draping over it. She also had a headdress which signified her status as a servant. Still I scowled bitterly upon her truthful answer.
“I know it already, Maria. But simply holding it in rather than letting out our honest opinion will create a self-destructive personality.” I chided back at her.
“Well then, please let out your dissatisfaction by handling the documents with your hands. This humble servant believes that her majesty’s lips are not suitable to use such crude words.” The head maid pushed another stack of documents onto the desk.
Kh…! To think this woman is pushing all the works that no ordinary people could finish in a month to a person such as I… So this is your scheme all along?
“’A wise ruler is a wise person with a wise mouth.’ Often I heard it and often I found how sarcastic the phrase meant for people such as I.” I pulled the first few documents and began reading them, a feather quill was ready to sign or cross them.
“Is that so?” The female servant said, her tied viridian hair brushed over her back as her head tilted slightly to the side.
I really wished I could have her head lopped off but she was the Head Servant who could easily clean the whole castle to the point of perfection. She’s also a very intelligent person rarely found in the swarm of pigs below. To be honest, I sometimes doubted if she was a simple commoner raised in a common family.
In any case, Maria is the most excellent servant previously serving father. Though the Foolish King was a nasty person possessing no kindness, he had the keen eyes to regard quality over quantity. It was a reason why he possessed so many concubines capable enough to give birth to potential mages and Vagnalos Candidates. Well, even they were left unscathed after the rebellion. Excepting this one.
“Your highness, your expression is unbecoming. Please calm down.”
“Oh my…? So even you believed I should not smile? Do you want me to have the knights execute you?”
The servant shrugged. Her eyes closed momentarily then she let out a comment.
“Dare I say it does not befit your current circumstance? I trust your majesty will not show a smile brimming with ill intentions in front of anyone excepting your enemy.” Maria smiled.
“……has it been like this or do you simply have a crude language, Maria…? Don’t tell me the previous king has always listened to your foolery all the time?” I snarled.
“Well now… that is difficult to say.” Maria replied.
And then—it happened. It was actually not very unexpected as peace was but a fleeting moment.
To be honest, in Magnis, there existed so many things in so many places there was practically no order in a place the hands of laws could not reach. Struggle as they might, it was a common sight for those with power having the privilege to conquer the weak. Even if it was not making sense, I was certain that is just how this world works. Yes, it is inevitability.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
—But I didn’t expect that the unexpected would fall from the sky.
“Huh?” My word resounded, my eyes opened wide as the ceiling of the large office crumbled due to the falling object which was so very fast my perception could not catch up.
What were the chances? What just happened? An enemy attack? An air raid? Has the castle invaded by a group of assassins? All of the mysteries were blown away into obscurity the moment the unexpected object became a large black dot, filling my view completely.
This castle where I resided in along with my family—or rather, along with the remnant of it was one made with exquisiteness and grandness. There was the throne hall the size of a cathedral and even the ceiling was out of reaches by normal means. No room was too ‘small’ except the underground prison and hidden chambers, and there was the case where I lost ways when trying to find the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Unfortunately… the castle literally meant aerial combats were possible and there were many structures which could be used for advantages in battles. Especially assassination which was the matter that spelled death to father. I was about to raise a proposal regarding the whole construction of the palace after signing all of these documents related with the reformation of the societal structures…
If not for this intruder which quickly crashed to me.
“Kyaaaaah!?”
“Yo-your majesty!!?”
Smokes piled up. The scent of dust and the sound of pebbles hitting the floor could be heard. As the situation became tense and I was in the dark amidst the thick layers of dust…… I was once again shaken up as I could feel something which was yet again… something terribly unexpected.
“Ugh… gah… What… what was with that ridiculous strength……? That girl really has become a brute after five years……”
There was a voice. And it was a voice familiar to almost everyone who witnessed the Liberation of my kingdom.
Who could it be other than him that always sounded so annoyed?
Who could it be other than him that does not want any problem concerning others?
Who could it be other than him that has no manners and etiquette whenever he talked to ladies?
The answer was so obvious that I nearly yelled.
“E-e-e-e-e-Eld… Elder brother….? Wha-what is the meaning of th-this…?!”
E-eh!? What… what is wrong with my voice?! I thought I was properly transmitting my intention to stay as dignified as Maria instructed me to! No, to begin with…!
“….Hah…? Hm…….?” His obsidian grey eyes rolled down. Normally he had the passive look of an apathetic person but now he was definitely annoyed. Why are you even scowling when you heard my voice!?
As the clouds of dust dissipated and as my vision returned to normal…… two gasps could be heard in my office. But why two? Who are they coming from? It was mine and Maria’s. Again, why am I the one who responded with a gasp especially when it was done as if shocked by a sudden betrayal? The reason was obvious the moment I shouted from the top of my lungs.
“Y-Y-Y-You… YOU IMMORAL BEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSTTTT!! WHERE ARE YOU PUTTING YOUR HANDS ON?!!!”
“Huh!? W-wait a minute! As if I would want to touch a girl extremely undeveloped like you!!?”
*SNAP!* There was the sound where something had snapped inside me.
“—Oh my, your majesty… I shall ready a group of the palace’s expert healers. For now… I shall inform the guards to return to their positions.”
“Wait a moment! Maria?! Are you handing me to this runt’s hands?!”
”Oh no you won’t escape!!”
I gripped the neck of the young man with jet-black hair and quickly threw him down to the floor beside me. He made a wonderful noise as the moment I took my chance, I was already emitting mana from my entire body. I stood up, arms stretched forward and aimed at the stupid bastard who groped his little sister’s breasts.
Not to mention he insulted me! I didn’t want to be born having this undeveloped body you know!? Now I’m set to cast a magic which I mastered for a long course of years!
“Let the flame of beginning incinerate evil! Let the stars burn ablaze as they rain down upon the corrupted lands!! Let my desire be known for I demand the divine judgment of Solaris!!”
The Hero exasperated in horror. He quickly ran to the door but when he tried to touch the knobs lightning ran rampant around them. The bluish green harmful energy ran from the double doors and around the walls, ceiling… all the way to the windows behind me.
What a wonderful job Maria has done for me! It’s a magical ward made to defend from outside threat but conversely, it allowed imprisonment from whoever placed within it! I will raise her salary after I am done with this bastard……!
“Y-you…! For committing lèse-majesté… I hereby declare—absolute termination of your existence, perverted elder brother!!”
“What?! W-wait! I’m innocent he—“
“No excuse! Now die! [Incineration]!!”
The spell was activated the moment a magic circle shining with bright crimson appeared in front of me. The magic circle expanded and spun with high speed, then it generated light brighter than daylight. Soon enough everything was enveloped with it and—
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Distances away, a knight who was bored as he gazed back to the city he protected from the top of the border wall…… witnessed a red blast energy which emerged from the castle. It went all the way to the sky it pierced through the clouds, the winds and the doves which happened to pass by.
“Bhu!? W-hat the hell—!?” Soon a comrade of his who happened to sleep while standing yelled as his head was struck by falling fried birds. Cooked with perfection!
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I didn’t remember anything well after the sudden outburst. In fact, I did not even notice I was back at the inn we lodged in. We…? Well, I was certain Leon and the others were not with me but anyhow, I was listlessly laying my face on the bed. It’s a bit hard and it was poorly adequate for a long sleep. Even so… I just wanted to bury my head on the pillow!
“What did I do? What did I do? What did I do? What did I do? What did I do……!!?”
It wasn’t right to hit Fei with all of my strength! I was too careless in restraining my emotions that I blasted him away with a sure-kill signature move! Even if I did want to punch him but killing him on the get-go is not right!! And—and…! Why is he so tall!?
Even his face matured beyond recognition! I thought he would grow up the same way like Takeru but he didn’t! He became a handsome man to the point of refreshing!! Wait, why did I think his face is refreshing!? No no no no! Don’t imagine him! Don’t fantasize like a shoujo manga protagonist, me!!
Alas, my struggle was in vain. I ended up visualizing Fei’s figure in my mind like mad. His black hair. His grey pupils. His broad shoulders. His straightened back. His well-built muscles. His tight abs. His moderate but ideal waist. His firm hips. His long legs. His large hands. And… his smile…?
“U-uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!? What-what am I thinkiiiiiiiiiinnnggg?!”
I could not stop myself from rolling around the bed! How could I not stop when my head was practically asking for a guy!? Since when did this absurd change happen!!? What happened to me, o gods ruling the heavens above!!? Just then—a pain bolted through the entirety of my body.
I fell down. Things clattered as the objects I placed on the cupboard next to the bed dropped. Causing series of sounds and yet the pain which coursed in my body did not stop. Rather, it heightened even more as my heart thumped louder than usual. It didn’t stop. The pains and thumping did not stop even though night has fallen…
My head hurts so much I feel fuzzy. My cheeks feel like burning. Even my fingers are trembling. My heart is furiously beating as moments go by… What’s more… there is a numbing pain circling around my stomach…… Spreading to every single cell in my body.
I didn’t understand anything. My mind was like a pure white sheet of paper. I could not even understand why the changes happened and I was bewildered by the increasingly sweet, sweet pains whenever I remembered a certain someone. Wait, why do I think it’s a sweet pain when I panted and there’s a weird feeling coming from a corner of my body! Wh-why…? Why is this happening to me…!?
“Au… Uuuuuuuu…! It hurts… Why the hell does it hurt so much even though I am used with my period…? This… this must be your fault…This… is all… your fault… Baka Fei……”